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System and method for applying link analysis tools for visualizing connected temporal and spatial information on a user interface |
| 7609257 |
System and method for applying link analysis tools for visualizing connected temporal and spatial information on a user interface
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| Patent Drawings: | |
| Inventor: |
Wright, et al. |
| Date Issued: |
October 27, 2009 |
| Application: |
11/503,921 |
| Filed: |
August 15, 2006 |
| Inventors: |
Wright; William (Toronto, CA)
Kapler; Thomas (Toronto, CA)
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| Assignee: |
Oculus Info Inc. (Toronto, Ontario, CA) |
| Primary Examiner: |
Chauhan; Ulka |
| Assistant Examiner: |
Hajnik; Daniel F |
| Attorney Or Agent: |
Tisdall; GrantGowling Lafleur Henderson LLP |
| U.S. Class: |
345/419; 345/418; 345/440 |
| Field Of Search: |
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| International Class: |
G06T 15/00; G06T 11/20 |
| U.S Patent Documents: |
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| Foreign Patent Documents: |
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| Other References: |
Kraak, M., "The Space-Time Cube Revisited From a Geovisualization Perspective", Proceedings of the 21st International Cartographic Conference(ICC) Durban, South Africa, Aug. 10-16, 2003. cited by examiner. |
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| Abstract: |
A system and method for analyzing a plurality of data elements having both temporal and spatial properties, where a first data element and a second data element of the plurality of data elements are linked by at least one association element. The system and method include selecting the first data element from the plurality of data elements and providing at least one search criteria for use in analyzing the properties of the plurality of data elements with respect to at least one property of the first data element. An analysis module is used to apply the at least one search criteria to the properties of the plurality of data elements for identifying the second data element from the plurality of data elements and the corresponding at least one association element. The at least one association element is configured for representing a connection between the first data element and the second data element, such that the connection has a first property common to a property of the first data element and a second property common to a property of the second data element. A visualization module is used to generate a visual representation of the first and second data elements and the association element configured for display on a user interface for subsequent interaction with user events. The visual representation includes a spatial domain including a reference surface for providing a spatial reference frame having at least two spatial dimensions and a temporal domain operatively coupled to the spatial domain for providing a common temporal reference frame for locations of interest in the spatial domain. |
| Claim: |
We claim:
1. A method for analysing a plurality of data elements having both temporal and spatial properties, a first data element and a second data element of the plurality of data elementslinked by at least one association element, the method stored as instructions on a memory for execution by a computer processor, the instructions comprising of: selecting the first data element from the plurality of data elements; providing at least onesearch criteria for use in analysing the properties of the plurality of data elements with respect to at least one property of the first data element; applying the at least one search criteria to the properties of the plurality of data elements foridentifying the second data element from the plurality of data elements and the corresponding at least one association element, the at least one association element configured for representing a connection between the first data element and the seconddata element, the connection having a first property common to a property of the first data element and a second property common to a property of the second data element, the connection for representing a communication event as the same event for both ofthe data elements; and generating a visual representation of the first and second data elements and the association element configured for display on a user interface for subsequent interaction with user events, the visual representation including aspatial domain including a reference surface for providing a spatial reference frame having at least two spatial dimensions and including a temporal domain operatively coupled to the spatial domain for providing a common temporal reference frame forlocations of interest in the spatial domain, the first data element and the second data element being adapted for positioning at different locations in the spatial reference frame and an occurrence time of the communication event adapted for being aparameter of the communication event.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual representation of the group of data elements is selected from the group comprising; a concurrent time and geographic context and a concurrent time and diagrammatic context.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the type of the data elements is selected from the group comprising: entities; events; and locations.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the event type represents an action taking place at a particular one of the locations of interest in the spatial reference frame and at the occurrence time in the temporal domain, such that the occurrence timeis selected from the group comprising an instant in time and a time span.
5. The method of claim 3, wherein the entity type represents an actor involved in a selected event.
6. The method of claim 3, wherein the location type represents one of the locations of interest in the spatial domain.
7. The method of claim 2, wherein the communication element is selected from the group comprising: a communication connection describing communication details transferred between the two or more data elements; and financial transaction orother transaction.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the association element is selected from the group comprising: a direct connection; and an indirect connection.
9. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of displaying an information element on the visual representation adjacent to one of the elements in response to a trigger event, the information element for describing selected ones of theproperties of said one of the elements.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the trigger event is a mouse over of said one of the elements.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the information element is configured based on an element type of said one of the elements.
12. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of adjusting the display of the visual representation to match a selected range in at least one of the domains.
13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of selecting the range based on the properties of the first and second data elements.
14. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one search criteria represents a degree of separation between the first data element and the second data element.
15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of selecting the degree of separation greater than one for facilitating the identification of at least a third data element and an additional association element, such that the associationelement links the first data element to the second data element and the additional association element links the second data element to the third data element for representing a link between the first and third data elements.
16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of increasing the degree of separation for resulting in the identification and display of further data elements indirectly linked to the first data element through further associationelements.
17. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of selecting the second data element and applying the at least one search criteria as a number of connections to the properties of the second data element for facilitating identification ofa connection path represented by the association element between the first and second data elements.
18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of increasing the specified number of connections between the first and second data elements for facilitating identification of multiple connection paths between the first and second dataelements and at least one additional data element.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein the connection path is selected from the group comprising: a direct connection path and an indirect connection path.
20. The method of claim 15, wherein the first data element represents a target object and the second data element represents an event connected to the target object.
21. A system for analysing a plurality of data elements having both temporal and spatial properties, a first data element and a second data element of the plurality of data elements linked by at least one association element, the systemcomprising: a computer processor; a user interface coupled to the computer processor for selecting the first data element from the plurality of data elements and for providing at least one search criteria for use in analysing the properties of theplurality of data elements with respect to at least one property of the first data element; an analysis module executable by the computer processor configured for applying the at least one search criteria to the properties of the plurality of dataelements for identifying the second data element from the plurality of data elements and the corresponding at least one association element, the at least one association element configured for representing a connection between the first data element andthe second data element, the connection having a first property common to a property of the first data element and a second property common to a property of the second data element, the connection element for representing a communication event as thesame event for both of the data elements; and a visualisation module executable by the computer processor configured for generating a visual representation of the first and second data elements and the association element configured for display on theuser interface for subsequent interaction with user events, the visual representation including a spatial domain including a reference surface for providing a spatial reference frame having at least two spatial dimensions and including a temporal domainoperatively coupled to the spatial domain for providing a common temporal reference frame for locations of interest in the spatial domain, the first data element and the second data element being adapted for positioning at different locations in thespatial reference frame and an occurrence time of the communication event adapted for being a parameter of the communication event.
22. The system of claim 21, wherein the visual representation of the group of data elements is selected from the group comprising; a concurrent time and geographic context and a concurrent time and diagrammatic context.
23. The system of claim 22, wherein the type of the data elements is selected from the group comprising: entities; events; and locations.
24. The system of claim 23, wherein the event type represents an action taking place at a particular one of the locations of interest in the spatial reference frame and at the occurrence time in the temporal domain, such that the occurrencetime is selected from the group comprising an instant in time and a time span.
25. The system of claim 23, wherein the entity type represents an actor involved in a selected event.
26. The system of claim 23, wherein the location type represents one of the locations of interest in the spatial domain.
27. The system of claim 22, wherein the connection element is selected from the group comprising: a communication connection describing communication details transferred between the two or more data elements; and a financial transaction orother transaction.
28. The system of claim 27, wherein the association element is selected from the group comprising: a direct connection; and an indirect connection.
29. The system of claim 22 further comprising an information module configured for generating an information element in response to a trigger event for display on the visual representation adjacent to one of the elements, the informationelement for describing selected ones of the properties of said one of the elements.
30. The system of claim 29, wherein the trigger event is a mouse over of said one of the elements.
31. The system of claim 29, wherein the information element is configured based on an element type of said one of the elements.
32. The system of claim 22 further comprising a fit module for adjusting the display of the visual representation to match a selected range in at least one of the domains.
33. The system of claim 32, wherein the range is based on the properties of the first and second data elements identified by the fit module.
34. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one search criteria represents a degree of separation between the first data element and the second data element.
35. The system of claim 34 further comprising the analysis module configured for applying the degree of separation greater than one for facilitating the identification of at least a third data element and an additional association element, suchthat the association element links the first data element to the second data element and the additional association element links the second data element to the third data element for representing a link between the first and third data elements.
36. The system of claim 35, wherein an increase in the degree of separation results in the identification and display of further data elements indirectly linked to the first data element through further association elements.
37. The system of claim 22 further comprising the user interface configured for selecting the second data element and the analysis module configured for applying the at least one search criteria as a number of connections to the properties ofthe second data element for facilitating identification of a connection path represented by the association element between the first and second data elements.
38. The system of claim 37 further, wherein an increase in the specified number of connections between the first and second data elements facilitates identification of multiple connection paths between the first and second data elements and atleast one additional data element.
39. The system of claim 37, wherein the connection path is selected from the group comprising: a direct connection path and an indirect connection path.
40. The system of claim 35, wherein the first data element represents a target object and the second data element represents an event connected to the target object. |
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